Paradise versus FAB and other paints

  Hey everyone! My hubby is buying me some new paints for Christmas (after) because I'm a paint ho. My paints now are tag and they seem to be good paints they are 30 grams and I've only had to replace red, yellow & lt blue (those seem to go the fastest). I seem to be the kind of face painter that has to take everything I own with me when I go to a party or event which is kind of exhausting. I love my fatmax set-up but it's just not practical when doing a small inside event so I need to condense down. I have the Tag neon and pastel small palettes and I like grabbing the smaller ones when I need a small amount of color, but not really reaching for those when I use my sponges so not sure how practical for sponge use, but I have several blender cakes that I usually use for butterflies and tigers.

So, I've tried paradise light brown  that I like a lot (my avatar painted with it) and it seems to go on smoothly and don't have to reload sponge as much as tag.

I read on a thread here and saw swatches of FAB paints so now I'm trying to decide which to try. Who uses and likes which the most??? I'm thinking with refilling them too and what is more cost effective..
Paradise (30) 7gram colors = $90 and refills are $6, but 40 grams is only $8 and can get (12) for $100 and (17) for the $135 that the FAB costs.
FAB (20) 16 gram colors =$135 and refills are $7 & $8 and the 45 grams is $11-$12

So the more I research it, the more confused I am. So any input of which paints to try? Palette versus regular size and just repot them in bead box??? HELP?!? And actually the more I think of it... I don't need new paint because I have more than I probably need of the tag but thinking they can be for festivals or practice... what do you guys think? what works easiest for you?

once I hit the 90g size, I can't and haven't gone back to smaller sizes....

my fav is paradise, gorgeous silky bold color.it fits my style so far...

I have seen more talented artists do some amazing things with the brilliant colors of fab-but for me, I prefer the rich, silky colors of paradise paints.


I think you have more than enough paint too....but I don't know what you paint.
my color combos tend to stay in the red/yellow, green/blue, pink/purple, blue/navy, gold/silver colors...
very rarely do I need to step out of those colors, and then it is just a specific design, which I have a split cake for.




I will say this-I have multiple designs for every split and rainbow cake in my kit.if I really have to tim my kit small, I grab a white, black, metinas's Halloween cake, the paradise prisma cake for patriot, fluer and "Cool", plus a neon pink wolfe, and I'm good to go. I can still get my butterflies, princess, monster, flowers, tigers, dolphins, etc...but it call all fit in a small ziplock baggie.

when I pack for a gig, I just add on from there,

so you just use your split cakes for your other colors if do something simple that requires like yellow or something?

exactly.



I mean, if I were you, the ONLY thing I would consider adding is the havannah sunset and the carnival cakes...

but, I would suggest you try some of the paradise prisma cakes.i'd buy a whole palette of the prisma cakes, rather than buy MORE solid colors-you have a ton in your kit already.and paradise blends sooo well, it is very easy to mix up whatever color you do need.also, the paint strips are so narrow, you can EASILY use it as a one stroke as well.eliminating your need for some of your other cakes you already have.

I love my paradise prisma cakes, they smell so good too! You have a lot if paint, but hey, what's a few more!

I love the smell of Paradise and the coverage. All my basic colors is Tag which work fine but it seems I have to reload my sponge more often with them when doing a mask or fulll face but not so often with the Paradise Brown I have, so I was considering switching to Paradise. The Tag, I will probably use for practice on paper & such.

I will definately see about adding the Havannah and Carnival cakes... and some prisma cakes. I only have one blender cake that isn't tag in my kit and that's Wolfe rainbow... LOVE it.. the color is so vibrate! So, if the prisma cakes are similar, I'm sure I'll love those too. Thanks for the feedback.

This thread comes in sooo handy I just posted swatches of the fab colors, they are amazing and so cramy, love the size of th 16 grams pots.
I also have tag and few Dfx and have 2 colors splits, although the pearls are creamy I feel like I do need to reload a lot.
I have a vision...
Getting the 40 grams paradise colors for bases and then re-potting my tag and Dfx colors on my 16 gram lids and use for details, line work, etc.

I have tag silver, gold and old gold, which I love the bold color. I also have pearl blue and metallic green, which is very pretty but does stain a little more than most colors I have. 

I love my Tag Unicorn and Snake, but I use my paradise prisma cakes A Lot. Fluer makes wonderful roses, poinsettas, and Ive also used the pink and white combo for a hippo, mixed with the shadow cake for the grey I needed. Cool makes perfect sharks, dolphins, blue roses and snow faeries.

Sorry, last time I promise, but I just have to say get the whole prisma palette if you do decide to try.
Ive used them all at every gig.the color combos work for nearly every design you can think of, and in 6 months of steady weekend work, they are STILL full.
It is great for base AND linework, unlike some other brands.

Dont buy seperately, because once you try one, you will eventually get them all.just get the pallete. The laptop is amazing too, super sturdy.

thanks nikkii

nikkili26 wrote:Sorry, last time I promise, but I just have to say get the whole prisma palette if you do decide to try.
Ive used them all at every gig.the color combos work for nearly every design you can think of, and in 6 months of steady weekend work, they are STILL full.
It is great for base AND linework, unlike some other brands.

Dont buy seperately, because once you try one, you will eventually get them all.just get the pallete. The laptop is amazing too, super sturdy.

what's your secret to 6 months steady weekend work? We've only been doing this since June and still trying to figure out how to get us out there MORE! My goal is a few local popular festivals and our state fair for next year... but really want parties and hourly events.

I started painting in july....my secret is to treat it like a business, I guess...
I've been going at it like a business from day one..marketing, advertising, and taking classes to build my skills.

I see a lot of people on the forum going after festivals-too much competition even if it pays...so I went the party route from the beginning.

I seek out ONLY people who NEVER get painted...yeah, repeat business is great, and yeah it's awesome to go after potential buyers who enjoy facepainting-but my kids taught me fast:kids can only be painted so many times before its not fun anymore.


so I purposely talk to kids and ask if they've been painted before.if they say no, that is when I talk about how to get me at their party next time.

If they say yes-I continue the conversation, but I can't expect a call back...I just have to really blow them away with my amazing face designs so that they see the mirror and say "WOW!!!"-then, after I hear "wow", that is when I will get into discussion about birthday parties.



if I don't get a "wow", I don't stop painting.lol....I will keep adding details, and bust out the glitter and rhinestones til they say WOW!!!
and then, that's when I let them go on about their merry way.lol....


just gotta give people their moneys worth, let them make the connection about my value, let them know their skin is safe in my hands-that I'm not painting but more of a water based makeup artist.




the number one thing is to get talking to those kids in your seat....introduce yourself, get them to repeat your name back to you-that's how they remember you after they leave...then they tell their parents "mom, her name was ***** ***!!!!" and they look me up on facebook or whatever.




just always be leaving a trail of "wow" and you will always get good word-of-mouth.
I try not to get more than 2-3 leads per party, because I noticed lots of the same kids show up. I don't ever want them to get tired of getting painted-but I keep their infor and contact the parents again about 3-4 months later like "hi, I painted at the party a few months ago-I just wanted to let you know my contact info again, because I heard some of your friends asking and I don't think they got my card".
works like a charm.


Also, I do offer discounts sometimes too, since I moved to a new state 2 months ago, I need to be able to get my name out into the community fast so I wouldn't be sitting on any dead time.


I will say though, if I don't get a signed contract or deposit-I will weigh the risks...if the rate is high enough, I will go out even without the deposit or contract, and it pays...it's risky, but it pays.
I try to be strict about it, but it if means i'll be missing a booking that weekend because the hostess is forgetful or lazy, I can't risk it every time.


also, I charge the travel price separately-its not included in my price.
so I will never ever pay out of pocket for any gig....if it's more kids than I have sponges for, they WILL be charged a bit more for supplies as an extra cost.

also I have a good car-not afraid of driving 140 miles for a gig-but like I said, I charge the cost of fuel for the party too.if they can pay for me to get out there, I'm there!

Thanks Nikki... I guess patience isn't my strong suit. Seems like from what you've written, I'm on the right track. I have oonsidered this a business from day 1 not a hobby. I'm always trying to improve my skills, my advertising, website, displays and ect. But I think my problem is overthinking. We started out painting this past summer in a local flea market (very large in our area) lots of children pass thru every weekend. Made decent each weekend and some parties resulted from it, but for fall & winter things have stopped. We did expos every weekend for a month but not really feeling those and didn't do as well as with the flea market. I guess I need to just get all perfected for spring and hit the market again and hopefully it will start up again. At least now I know what to expect with fall and winter with local festivals & such. Thanks for your help.

yeah, i hear you have to get into festivals early...

oh, something i did do and will continue to do, is if i see fliers up advertising a local event and i have nothing booked that day, i'll call up and ask who is coordinating it....once i have them on the phone, i ask if they have a face painter already.

if they don't, i let them know i just moved to the area and i'm available and I'd like to come paint for free.


i always offer to do the work for FREE, but i also always email sample of my work.


they always contact back and offer to pay me, saying i'm loads better than the previous volunteers.

i take whatever they offer to pay because it gets my business cards into the right hands.

I agree